Back In The Ring
by jokersmainbitch
Summary: Mariah Myers Calloway is the (ofc, fictional) daughter of Undertaker. She's also a former diva and she's a mother to 5 year old Stella and is just going through a complicated divorce. When she decides to return to the lineup, she's met with all of the changes that the past 3 years away have bought. But while she's making her mark, will she also find what she's looking for? R
1. Chapter 1

DIALOGUE

Since the beginning of time, it's been known that a woman will inevitably have at least 3 great loves in her life. Those are as follows: Her father, of course, he's the primary male in her life, he's the keeper of all worldy knowledge, he's the checker of monsters under the bed, he's the first person she sees when she wakes and the last person she kisses before bed.

Sometimes, her father is the only man in her life she can really and truly count on, if the girl's mother was anything like my own.

The other two loves, of course, are the man she eventually falls in love with, and her children, however many she winds up having.

I'm going to start off this story by saying that there's a lot of misconceptions surrounding my father, people see his onscreen persona, and they equate him with being a cold and unfeeling kind of man when really, he's not, I've seen it time and time again with my half siblings, with my new stepmother, Michelle, and I've seen it over and over, most importantly with me..

Undertaker is NOTHING like the man you see on your tv screens every monday and friday night, and if it weren't for my father, well..

I probably wouldn't even be alive right now.

My name is Mariah Myers-Calloway and this is my story, all of it, the good, the bad and the completely and totally messed up. I warn you now, it's not a happy tale as it begins, in fact, it sort of pains me to even talk about the events that lead me to where I am right now, as I sit here and tell you this story.

But hey, I'll tell my story and you people can be the judge.

END DIALOGUE

PROLOGUE

_'Daddy, where am I?" the raven haired 6 year old asked her father as she sat up and noticed she was confined to a small hospital bed. She rubbed her eyes and waited on an answer from her father who sighed and looked at her sadly._

_"How much do you remember, Volt?" Undertaker asked his 6 year old daughter as she thought a moment. When she'd remembered what happened to her the night before, he knew it, because her light brown eyes went wide and she started to cry, her tears soaking the front of his t shirt as she held onto him and let him hold her._

_"What happened to mommy?"_

_"She's.. She's gone, Volt.. But it's okay, daddy's here and he's gonna take you back home with him. Do you wanna go home with Daddy?"_

_Mariah thought it over a moment, and she bit her lip. In the past, her time with her father had been limited to just weekends here and there, maybe a Christmas or two, her mother and her father weren't together, you see, and they couldn't agree on anything except of course for the fact that they loved their little girl and it'd been a mistake to get married at such young ages, especially with Mark's career really starting to take off as it had._

_"O-okay.. Daddy? Mommy's not ever comin back, is she?"_

_"Yeah, Volt." the man said as he sighed bitterly, held his daughter in his arms. This night was the beginning of their father daughter bond, and it was when the man realized that he was all Mariah had now, and Mariah was probably all he had left good in his own life currently._

_It was because of this night that the two person family learned to love and trust, Mariah began to heal from the life she'd had before coming to live with her father, which while not really some tragic horror story, well it hadn't exactly been a rose garden either, and her father learned that he could be a father all the time and not just every other weekend._

_He helped her through her scraped knees, because his baby girl was a bit of a daredevil, apparently, and as she got older, he helped her through bullies at school, and the first time a boy broke her heart, he was right there waiting to comfort her in the best way he knew how, - working all night on an antique muscle car in the garage while the two of them drank beer and soda quietly, not really talking much-._

_He watched her grow, he watched her life changing, watched her become more and more of her own person, a beautiful person, with each day and month, year that passed. _

_And when she needed him most, he was there again, of course. And that is where the story begins at..._

END PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

He'd known something wasn't right all day and finally, around 7 pm, he got a call through to his daughter's cell phone.

"Where the hell were you, Volt?"

"I'm driving, Dad. Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the arena, actually.. I have that segment tonight. Why?"

"I know, daddy.. What I mean is where is the arena?"

"What's going on, Volt.. You know how dad feels about surprises..."

"Damn it, Dad, I'd rather not tell you over the phone. I wanna be face to face when I tell you what's been going on today.. By the way, daddy, thanks for earlier.. If you hadn't.. You saved my life." Mariah muttered as she bit her lower lip, sighed and fumbled around on the seat of the 67 Camaro for her 'emergency' smokes.

"You better not be smokin, Volt."

"Okay, dad. Alright."

"Where are you right now?" He asked a few moments later as she replied quietly, "Just coming into Jacksonville."

"Okay, you're gonna want to get on the interstate and take the third left. I'll go to the parking lot, wait on you there." Undertaker said as he added quietly, "Love you, Volt."

"Love you too, dad." Mariah said as she pulled onto the interstate and began to merge with the traffic, her mind going back to the events of the past few hours as she looked over at the little raven haired girl sleeping in the seat beside her.

"I shoulda killed the son of a bitch." she muttered matter of factly as she got lost in thought while she completed the drive to the arena, the music ( black sabbath, paranoid) serving as a silence breaker in the cab of the restored muscle car she drove..

* * *

_- Earlier That Night -_

_As soon as Mariah walked in the door and saw him leaning in the doorway, the bottle of Southern Comfort in his hand, she knew tonight was going to be one of those nights. There had been a lot of those nights lately, since she'd walked away from her husband and started looking into filing divorce._

_Lately, Jed just seemed so crazy and out of control, she really didn't know what he'd do from one minute to the next. And she really wished lately that she hadn't ever even considered getting herself and her daughter mixed up with the man._

_"Get the fuck out of here." Mariah snarled as she pointed to the doorway, her hand going to the drawer she kept her handgun in, just in case._

_Jed smirked and dangled the gun from the table between his fingertips as he asked, "Lookin for this, Mariah?"_

_She bit her lower lip as she looked at him and said calmly, "Go ahead, Jed.. Pull that trigger." and held her arms out, just thankful that her daughter was still over at the neighbors for now, praying to God that Stella stayed at the neighbors._

_Jed had been following her for weeks, and he'd been calling, hanging up, threatening her, he'd even shown up at Stella's daycare and tried to take her, pretending to be her father. _

_He wasn't._

_Mariah was getting more than a little sick of his shit, personally, and she really hated that just because he was friends with half of the cops in their small town, he thought that a restraining order and a night in jail was just a damn suggestion._

_"Well?"_

_Jed stared at her then said with an evil grin, "Get your panties outta a twist, doll. I'm not gonna shoot you. Just came by to tell you in person, I'm not givin you a divorce. And to give you back these." as he took out the manila envelope that the divorce papers were delivered to him in, ripped them up and lit the envelope and the papers on fire in the nearby waste basket._

_"Jed, god damn it, it doesn't matter if you sign or not. I can still file for divorce. This might come as a shock to you, you fucking idiot, but I can go over your head to make this happen."_

_The fist connected with her nose quickly and brutally as he growled, "Always were a mouthy little bitch, weren't you? Go ahead.. Divorce me.. But you ain't gettin rid of me. You belong to me, and I'll just keep showing up and making your life hell until you finally realize that."_

_By now, Mariah had edged into the living room, her hand was resting on the barrel of the shotgun her father passed down to her, the one she used for hunting when she went to visit him and her godfather, Steve Austin, hunted on Steve's ranch in Texas, where her father lived._

_She knew it was loaded, she knew she could have it aimed and her finger on the trigger before he even drunkenly figured out how to pull the clip in her handgun and see if it were loaded or not. She wasn't an idiot, she knew exactly how his mind worked, just like he knew how her mind worked._

_Which is probably how she wound up tied to the ladderback chair at their white wooden kitchen table, a dishrag stuffed into her mouth._

_She groaned internally as the landline phone began to ring, and her father's voice filled the room. This would make the 4th time he'd tried to call her by this point, in the space of 2 hours._

_Jed yanked the phone out of the wall right about the time Mariah wiggled free from the restraint to her wrist and got her hands on the shotgun, prodded him in the back of the head with it. He growled and she said with a smirk, "Now here's how this is gonna go you dumb shit.. You're gonna get down on your knees, Jed."_

_He knelt down, muttered quietly, "I love ya.. I just.. I don't want ya to leave me, babe.. I don't want ya movin all the way to Texas.. Hell, I.."_

_"Shut the fuck up."_

_The man went quiet, and Mariah continued, "Now you're gonna give me back my handgun, Jed."_

_He hesitated and her finger moved to switch the gun off safety as she said "I'm not playin around, Jed."_

_He turned unexpectedly, a smirk on his face as he got the gun out of her hands with one hand, and held her down on the table with his hips as his other hand went to her throat, choking._

_When the front door was kicked in by cops a few moments later, that's how they found , there'd been a fight between Jed and Mariah, Mariah had actually fared pretty well against the drunken man, despite being scared to death while fighting him, constantly worried that her daughter would sneak away from their neighbors, come over and find out why Mariah left her there, what was going on.._

_After giving her statement, going to pick up Stella from the neighbors, thanking the elderly lady for keeping Stella inside and away from the house when she'd gotten a bad feeling and dropped her off there as they turned down their road.._

_After doing all that, Mariah hadn't thought, she'd packed some clothes, she'd grabbed her phone, grabbed a few more things they might need until she could figure things out, and she'd hauled ass out of town._

_That had been about 4 hours ago, and now she was almost to the town in Florida that the WWE, where her father was on the roster as a character known to the Universe as Undertaker. _

_She didn't know what she was going to do next, she didn't know what might actually happen next, but she did know that she was getting the hell away from her soon to be ex husband Jed as quickly and as far as she could._

* * *

Mariah pulled into the parking lot and sat there a few moments, her eyes scanning the rows of cars looking for her father's black and chrome bike. When she spotted it, she spotted him, pacing, a worried look on his face.

She reached over and unfastened her little daughter from the car seat she was strapped into, and got out, carrying her sleeping daughter.

The first thing Undertaker noticed was that his daughter had been in some kind of a physical altercation. He growled to himself, kicked at his bike as he swore under his breath.. He knew he should have loaded her and Stella up and hauled them both to Texas as soon as she'd called him and told him she was filing for divorce.

But she'd insisted, no she'd demanded, really, that she handle this on her own. Clearly, from the looks of things, she needed her daddy to step in and handle things this time, because clearly, she was in over her head.

He hugged them against him right as the thunder rolled in the skies above and then he asked, "What the hell happened? You forget how the hell to answer a phone, Volt?"

"No, daddy.. Long story short, I was kinda tied up when you called.. And by the time I could call ya back, I decided to hell with it and packed, started makin the drive here."

"Whoa, wait.. You show up here all beaten to hell and back, you talk about being tied up.. Do I need to go kill that little shit?"

"Oh trust me daddy.. Thanks to you calling the state police, not the parish police, he's on his way to jail.. And he's probably gonna be there a really, really long time."

"Lemme guess.. He looked worse when you two got done fightin."

"Mmm.. You could say that." Mariah said as she sighed and then muttered, "I shoulda listened to you, daddy, when he hit me that one time before we ever got married.."

"It's okay, Volt. Everybody makes mistakes."

"No, daddy, it's not.. I have a little girl who's gonna pay for my mistakes if I keep making them."

"Let's get inside. It looks like it's gonna rain." Undertaker said as he lead his daughter indoors, and to the medics office so she could get looked at and patched up. As they walked out into the hallway, Mariah nudged her father and then said quietly, "So.. How'd your segment go?"

"I came, I saw, I kicked ass.. The usual. Wanna go to the sky box, watch the show?"

"Dad.. You know what'll happen if I watch."

"What? Afraid you might start to miss fighting?"

"Dad."

"Mariah.. You don't even have to answer that, dad knows all."

Mariah groaned but let him lead her up to the skybox, and she sat down, holding her little girl in her lap. And as she watched the show, she started to realize that he was right.

She did miss being on the active roster, and in some ways, she wished she'd never let Jed brainwash her into giving it up.

Her daughter tugged at her sleeve and asked, "Mama.. We go see aunty Kaitlyn?"

"Maybe, sugar bean.. If she's not too busy." Mariah said as she hugged her daughter tightly then asked, "If mommy came back to work.. How would you feel?"

"Would you, mama? I misses it."

"I'd have to talk to my boss.." Mariah muttered as she bit her lip.. Was she even really considering doing this? Especially considering how she'd left things when she walked away from it all?

She'd burned a lot of bridges but being at the show tonight, feeling the electric energy in the air, she knew that this was another thing she was born to do.

She'd been happier when she'd been fighting, she'd had friends who'd helped her with Stella, she'd had good times backstage.

Would McMahon even allow her to come back? She hadn't been one of the main event divas back then.. So maybe he'd tell her no, that they didn't need another diva.

She knew this was not going to leave her alone though, so halfway through the show, she looked at her dad and said "I'm gonna talk to Vince."

"I knew it." her father said as he took his granddaughter into his lap and then said "Mama's gonna be right back, Stel. She's gonna go talk to someone."

"Go, mama." Stella demanded as she pointed to the door. She missed her family, she wanted to be able to see them again.


	2. Chapter 2

Mariah stood in line at the concession stand, waiting with her daughter sitting on her shoulders. "What do you want to eat, Volt?"

"I wanna eat garlic cheese pretzel, mama." Stella said as she clapped her hands together, pointed up to the picture of the garlic sauce and cheese soaked soft pretzel on the menu hanging overhead.

"You sure about that?"

"Yes, mama."

"Okay then, garlic cheese pretzel it is." Mariah said casually as she scanned the menu items, her tongue passing over her lips as she tried to decide between the same thing as Stella, or a cheeseburger with bacon added.

She settled on the cheeseburger with bacon added and she and Stella turned and were about to make their way back to the skybox when she heard her name being called loudly. She stopped in her tracks as she turned and smirked at an old friend of hers, Natalya Neidhart.

"Is that really you, Ri?"

"It's me, Nat."

"What are you doing here?"

"Long story.. I'm watchin the show with my dad and uncle Steve in the skybox though. Wow.. They don't let you guys do any damn thing onscreen anymore, do they?"

"Sadly, not nearly as much as I'd like to."

"Yeah, I kinda saw that." Mariah muttered as she sat down at a nearby bench, Stella sitting between the two women, eating her garlic and cheese pretzel quietly.

"Volt grew a lot."

"Yeah, she did. She's been talking about seeing you all night too. What's been up with you for the past few years."

"Whoa, no you don't.. First, you're gonna tell me why you look like you've just been about 8 rounds with an MMA chick, then we might talk about me." Natalya coached as Mariah took a bite of her food and sighed then muttered, "Remember Jed?"

"The jackass we all tried to get you to leave alone?"

"That one, yeah."

"Well? What happened? Did he do this to you? Do I need to pay him a visit?"

Mariah laughed a little and shook her head as she smirked and said through a mouth full, "Nope. He's sitting in jail right now, on his way to prison most likely. Besides, I took care of it. But yes, he did do this to me."

She saw no point in hiding it, hell, she'd gotten out, had she not?

"Please tell me you're leaving him and coming back, that's why you're here tonight."

" The thought has crossed my mind, if for nothing more than to rip out Eva Marie's flame red hair and kick AJ Lee's ass a few good times. But yes, Nat, I left him. After I held a loaded shotgun to the back of his head.. This was of course, before he tied me to our kitchen chair."

Stella spoke up as she said "He hurted mama all the time.. But she brave and strong, she never cry. She just hurt 'im back."

Mariah gritted her teeth and winced. She hated that her daughter had even seen them be violent with one another even one time. She hated that at the age of 6 her little girl was already losing shades of her childlike innocence, that she'd witnessed her mother and the man her mother married putting hands on one another.

But she damn sure wasn't going to sit back and let him hurt her, either. She'd have already left, if not for the fact that every single time Jed was sober, he'd be the sweetest guy on earth and he'd almost have her convinced that he'd never touch the bottle again, he'd never hurt her or scare Stella again.

"You did what?"

"I held a loaded shotgun to the back of his head."

"Whoa.. It was that bad?"

"Only after I left him and had the nerve to file for divorce. Apparently, this pissed him off and he snapped. But hey, I've got this under control, Nat, you know me.. I'm like a cat that way.. I always land on my feet, don't I?"

"You're sure he's going to prison?"

"Won't matter if he doesn't. I'll do whatever I have to to keep him at arms length, keep my baby girl here safe. So I'm not too worried about him resurfacing, to be honest." Mariah said as she added quietly, "Besides, he just hasn't seen my daddy mad. But if he shows up, he will. And it won't be pretty."

"Hell, Ri. I'm tempted to go and find this jerk myself, your face.. You look like you've been in a major battle of a civil war or something." Natalya said in concern as Mariah shrugged and said quietly, " I'm fine, Nat. Can we change the subject now?"

She looked at her friend and hugging her said "If you need to talk, I'm here." into her friend's ear before picking up Stella and putting her on her lap as she said with a warm smile, "The last time I saw you, Volt, I could hold you in one hand."

"I know.. I grow.. I gon grow big. I gonna fight like mama."

"You are, huh, Volt?" Natalya laughed as Mariah groaned and then said quietly, with a slight smirk, "Ughh, don't remind me.. I caught her trying to do a DDT to the kid in the house next to ours the other day. I was freaking out."

"Mhmm.. Mama say she gonna have to whoop my a-.."

"Volt?"

"What mama, that's what you say.."

"Yeah, but.. You don't need to. You're a baby. And if you talk like that again, mama's gonna find a bar of soap."

"Yike." Stella giggled as she hid her face in Natalya's neck and giggled a little.

"So.. Guessing everybody's pretty much divided.."

"And you would be guessing right." Natalya said as she tried again, saying calmly, "Come on. You know you miss this."

"I do, but.. McMahon might not even want me back."

"If he took the Bella twins back, and all they're good for is a glorified blow up doll, then trust me.. Just talk to him." Natalya coaxed as Mariah smiled and then said quietly, "I'm seriously thinkin about it, Nat."

"Do it, Ri. Don't think, damn it, just do it."

"She right, mama. You good. Fightin made ya happy."

Mariah looked from her daughter to her longtime best friend and then sighing said "What the hell.. I've been wanting to give it one more shot." as she stood and then said "Are you coming with?"

"Whoa.."

"Yeah.. You talked me into it, Nat.. Besides, somebody's gotta take Volt while I'm in the office negotiating. Because there is no way in hell I'm letting that man control my gimmick." Mariah stated as she raked her hand through her long black hair and stood, waiting, tapping her foot almost impatiently against the linoleum floor.

"Well then, let's go do this." Natalya said as she walked down the hallway with her best friend, Stella sitting on her mom's shoulders.

A few minutes later, the two females and the little raven haired girl stood in front of Mr. McMahon's backstage office as Mariah stood biting her thumb.

"Put your hand on the knob and turn."

"Nat, I'm getting my shit together." Mariah said as she mentally kicked herself and then said "Do not say that word, Volt."

"Otay, mama."

She stepped into the office and cleared her throat as she flopped haphazardly into a chair on the other side of the desk, crossing her cut off clad legs neatly.

Vince McMahon looked up and blinked and then asked, "Did you come to see your father's segment?"

"Yeah.. I saw it.. And I realized something."

"Yes?" Vince asked, smirking.. He liked where this conversation could possibly be heading.

"I wanna re sign with the roster." Mariah said after a few long moments of staring at her fingernails and thinking it over, one more time.

"Okay, I'm listening." Vince said as he studied her intently. He'd seen the girl as she'd grown up, he'd been a part of her father's life, his boss for well over 2 decades nearly.

And looking at how well she'd grown up, well.. He'd be an idiot not to capitolize, would he not?

Though he wasn't too sure he was crazy about the 'country girl' look she seemed to favor these days. He scoffed for a few moments and then asked, "Are you even still in shape?"

With a smirk, Mariah stood up and pulled up the Sons of Anarchy t shirt she'd been wearing, pounded her abs lightly and asked, "Gee, I dunno.." as she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"You've been training while you were away?" he asked as he looked at her, his brow raised.

Mariah smirked and said calmly, "Yeah. I've been keeping up, I've been going to a trainer.. Not to mention having to fight off the bastard I stupidly married, but yeah, you could say that, McMahon." as she tapped her foot impatiently and cocked her head to one side, looking at him with mild amusement.

"You do realize you'd be starting all over, from the bottom of the card, right?"

"McMahon, do I look like I give a damn personally? Bring your best, I'll break 'em." Mariah said confidently as she sat back down and leaned back in the chair and asked casually, "So are we doing this or not? Because my kid's outside with Natalya, sir, and I don't much like leaving her out there without me."

Vince thought it over a moment and then smirked as he remembered how much she hated over half of the other women on the roster currently, she had at least 9 altercations with the Bella twins alone before she'd quit and dropped off the face of the earth to become a 'mommy' full time.

He reached into his desk and then dug through some files as he found her file, sliding it across the desk. "We actually tried to get you to come back about a year ago, all of our forms kept coming back marked return to sender."

"That'd be Jed. I knew I shoulda shot him tonight." Mariah swore lightly as she took a pen, raised it and then looked at him and said with a calm smile, "I come back in as me. No makeovers, no 'ettiquette' classes and no modeling classes. I am what I am, McMahon.. I'm only back because I missed the fighting. I don't too much care for the storyline drama, I have more than enough drama going on in my personal life. Can you handle that, or.."

"I believe we can work around this new look you've gotten yourself.. It might be nice to have a sort of country girl and proud character on the roster.. Might bring new viewers in."

"Whatever you say, old man." Mariah laughed as she scrawled her loopy signature across the bottom of the page. She looked at him and then smirking said "So.. When do I start?"

"How's Smackdown sound to you?"

"Sounds perfect. Do I need to book a hotel room?"

"Yes, you will.. And you need to meet with Creative first thing in the morning.. I have a confession to make, your father, well.. He's been down here with your godfathers already, told me you might be willing to make a return to the lineup, so I've been arranging it for a few hours now."

"Damn it, I told him.."

Vince smirked and then waved her out as he spun his chair around, raking a hand through gray hair in thought.. Now how could they market her?

Out in the hallway, Mariah walked out, pretending to be upset. As Natalya went to hug her, she laughed and then said "I got ya.. I'm back, Nat."

"What? Wait, he let you re sign?"

"Yeah.. Even after I told the old man not to, he went to Vince anyway." Mariah shrugged as Natalya jumped up and down, shrieking a little. The two women hugged one another and then Mariah said with a smirk, "So.. Looks like you have your roommates back?"

"It looks like it.. I cannot wait to see the looks on Brie and Nikki's faces when they find out. They're going to be furious.. You know they've been gloating that they ran you off, right?"

"Oh really.. They have, have they?"

"They have. So has AJ, really."

"Well then.. guess we know who's getting a special treat first, don't we?" Mariah joked as the two women made their way back to the skybox where Mariah's father was sitting. When she walked in, he looked up and smirking said "Aw hell, Austin.. Looks like I'm bringing back my American Badass persona after all."

"Daaad.. I told you not to tell him before I approached him."

"We missed you too damn much at family poker night." Undertaker said as he smirked and hugged her, ruffling her hair. "Besides.. You're with dad again, you're safe again.. It's gonna stay that way."

"Yes sir, it is."

Now all she had to do was meet with creative and try and come up with some kind of way to make her re entry to the lineup.

And she couldn't wait because after hearing what Natalya said that the Bellas and AJ were saying about why she left?

She definitely had more than a few scores to settle, it looked like.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?


	3. Chapter 3

"Really, AJ? You're gonna spin this to look like the victim?" Mariah asked as she stood at the top of the ramp with her hand on her hip, an amused smirk on her face.

AJ narrowed her eyes as Miz studied a returning Mariah, smirked a little. He had no problems with her, personally, she didn't hold back on her own opinions, she didn't care what anyone thought about what she said. She also didn't care what anyone thought about her.

It was a relief, really.

"I AM! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON!" AJ screamed, livid with anger as she all but lunged like she was going to fly out of the ring, attack Mariah.

"I know enough to say that in exactly two seconds, Lee, I'ma walk down this ramp.. And then one or two things is gonna happen.. Either you're gonna beat my ass, or I'm gonna beat all the crazy off of you."

From behind her, Kaitlyn spoke up as she stepped forward and said with a smug grin, "See, AJ? We're all getting just a little bit sick of your shit. "  
"A little, K?" Mariah asked as she gripped her sides in laughter, raked her hand through her hair and looked at AJ, shook her head, started to laugh again.

Natalya's theme hit and Natalya walked out, her hand on her hip also, a smirk on her face as she grabbed the mic Mariah held in her hands and said simply, "Oh, I think it's past a little bit by now, girls. But hey, she's just the victim, right? She never does anything wrong, not even stuff like this." as she pointed up to the Tron, as it replayed every single time that AJ screwed one of the three girls standing at the top of the ramp out of a win.

"And you're not the only one we're all getting more than a little sick of, either."

"But, we decided something backstage, and guess what AJ?"

AJ looked at the three girls practically shaking in anger and embarassment by this point as she asked through gritted teeth, "What?"

"Things are going to change."

"They're gonna change real soon." Mariah added with a smirk as she shuffled her feet, slid her hand into her pocket, slouching casually back against the Tron's steel leg.

"As a matter of fact, ladies, I say they're gonna start changing.. Now." Natalya finished as the three girls started towards the ring, menacing looks on their faces, laughing as AJ's face morphed from an angry mask to a fearful stunned look.

And then the Bella Twins music hit, followed by the music of Layla El.

"What the fuck is this shit?" Mariah hissed as Kaitlyn glared and then said "Dunno, but if what I think is about to happen happens, we're about to have a very uneven fight."

"No.. That little .. She cannot have possibly assembled those twits before she even knew about the attack we had planned." Natalya whispered back as AJ laughed into her mic and then said "It's cute, really.. The way you three seem to think I wasn't gonna find out how you were all planning to attack me, Brie and Nikki and Layla."

"Who the fuck told her?" Mariah asked, growing increasingly angry as she added, "Ah fuck it. I'm probably gonna wind up getting suspended for a while, guys, but I ain't about to go down like this. Not just no but hell no."

To their shock and surprise, as soon as Brie and Nikki's music hit and Layla's had finished, the theme song for Eve began to play.

"What the fuck?"

Eve smirked as she stopped beside Kaitlyn and said "Let me have the mic."

"Umm, no?"

"Trust me.. You want me to get that mic, Kaitlyn."

"Fine.."

Mariah sneered at Eve, they'd never really gotten on well, but then again, the one thing they did agree on was just how much they all hated three of the four girls in the ring currently, smirking, gloating as if they'd done something good, something that'd result in their "ruling" the Diva division.

"Hey, AJ?"

"What."

"Remember what I told you the last time we talked?" Eve asked in a mockingly sweet voice as she looked at the roster's 'crazy chick' and smirked.

"You cannot come back and think you're going to take this title back, Eve. It won't happen, there's no way McMahon will allow it.. Does he even know you're down here?" she asked.

Miz stood back, letting the little scene unfold. This was above and beyond what he THOUGHT he'd be getting when he'd agreed to interview AJ and Big E tonight.

Mr. McMahon's music hit about this time, and he strutted down to the ring and stood about halfway between the girls in the ring and the girls on the ramp.

"There IS a way to settle this, ladies."

"Oh really?" Mariah started as she glared at Mr. McMahon openly. Oh yes, she was very much her father's daughter, she didn't like authority, she loathed the way Mr. McMahon seemed to think himself ruler of all, king dick of the year.

"Yes, really."

"Well then, what pray tell is that, exactly? And I don't mean some crazy ass scheme that winds up with you screwin the actual fighters in this damn arena over either.." Mariah spoke firmly, as she smirked, stepped closer to McMahon.

She'd meant every single word she'd said in the meeting with creative earlier. She was NOT here to be a sex object, nor was she here to be paraded around like some puppet on a string.

She was here to fight.

She was here to prove that women could get in the square circle and kick ass, dominate.

And she'd told him that she was NOT going to fit any mold he dared put her in. He'd said he was fine with it, he'd promised her complete control over her image, the marketing that went into it, and she expected him to damn well keep that promise.

" I was simply going to suggest an 8 diva match for number one contendership.. The belt will be suspended on a cable above a ladder. First lady to the top of the ladder gets the shot at the Diva's title on Summerslam."

Kaitlyn looked at him a moment, then at the other girls who'd come down here with her, agreed to be on her side of this little private locker room war they'd had going for a long time now.

"Girls?"

Eve rolled her eyes and then took the mic as she said "How about a battle royale also? Not only do you have to eliminate everyone else, McMahon, but you still have to be able to climb that ladder and grab the belt. I mean, if you're trying to prove you're not sexist.. The guys get MITB.. What do us girls ever get?"

The four girls standing at the top of the ramp eyed him expectantly, curious as to how he'd answer this question. They were sick of their division being the joke of the sport, thanks to the likes of AJ, Brie and Nikki, the newer additions that'd come on..

When girls like Natalya, who have been there for more than a few years at this point have only held the title maybe once, and not for very long, where as a girl like AJ Lee could come in and hold the title for months?

The backstage politics were definitely looks based, acting based, behind the scenes.

Vince thought it over and smirking said "Okay, ladies.. If that's how you want it, then that's how it'll go. But there's one thing I'd like to add, if you don't mind?"

Natalya glared a little and then said stiffly, "Go ahead."

" Anything goes."

Mariah gaped at the man.. What was he up to? He knew hardcore was her chosen medium, the girl loved to get her hands on a good weapon, she'd always been a down and dirty fighter.

She couldn't be a face diva if she tried, really. In the ring? Mariah Myers - Calloway, mother of one and laid back Southern sweetheart ceased to exist.

In that ring, Mariah's killer instincts surfaced and she tried her best to leave any opponent shaking in fear or lying flat on their back, preferrably bloody, looking up at the building's rafters.

The girls whispered amongst themselves and then looked up as Eve said "Okay, we're good.. Why not ask the pussies in the ring what they think.."

Kaitlyn looked at Eve and mouthed, "Since when do you say the word pussy?"

"Since I'm coming back with complete control over my persona, that's when. I'm gonna be me. No glamour, no vendettas, no corporate asskissing aspirations. Just me, Eve Marie Torres."

"Fucking finally." Mariah grumbled as she raked her hands through her hair.

In the ring, AJ turned to Brie, Nikki and Layla as she hissed, "He cannot do this to me!"

"Oh he can, AJ.. And apparently, dearie, he is." Layla intoned as she sighed and then said "So.. We're either one of them or with the likes of you."

"I am the Divas champion, Layla, I'd watch that tone if I were you."

Brie ignored the other two and she and Nikki snatched the mic as Nikki laughed and said "Why wait, Mr. McMahon.. We're ready to go right now. Honestly don't know if we can say the same about those four trashy skanks."

By this point, Mariah, Eve and Kaitlyn were barely holding back and if Mariah hadn't caught Natalya, she probably would have snapped Brie Bella like a twig.

Backstage, some of the guys paused in the locker room, turning up the tv's volume.

"Is this really happening?"

"Right now, man."

"No shit? Somebody's finally gonna stomp that little crazy sack of crap in the ground?"

"Apparently, Swagger.. For an 'All American, buddy, you sure do make the rest of us look like retards when you say retarded stuff like that."

Down in the ring, Miz smirked as he looked at the women standing in the ring with him and asked, "Well? What's it gonna be, ladies?"

"Oh we're in."

"HE CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! IT'S MINE! THIS TITLE IS ALL I HAVE LEFT!"

Mariah cupped her hands around her mouth and called out brazenly, "Won't have that much longer, either, from the looks of it, crazy bitch." as her 'friends' laughed hysterically for a moment.

"Fuck this, they're taking too damn long, ladies." Kaitlyn muttered as she crouched and speared AJ over the back of the couch, turning it over.

Miz and McMahon barely had time to move before all hell broke loose. The bell rang to start the match about halfway into the brawl, and it was every girl for herself.

Just as AJ went for a Black Widow on Kaitlyn, Mariah smirked as she sent a chair she just happened to find lying nearby, at ringside, at the back of AJ's head.

The second AJ was on the ground, Mariah busied herself straddling the fallen Diva, choking her as realistically as she could get away with on live tv, without getting fined.

"It seems like the girls are turning into animals tonight, King."

"You don't say, Cole."

" It's about time they showed some spark, hell.." JBL muttered as the three commentators watched the match.

Eve grabbed hold of Nikki Bella and smirking said "Awww.. Did I rip out some hair?" as she used Nikki's hair to slam her head into an exposed turnbuckle.

On the other side of the ring, Natalya held Brie in place while Kaitlyn got a running start, sent a bicycle kick to her face, giggling in a mocking tone as she said "Oops."

"Hell, K.. That's plastic surgery that actually looks worth a fuck." Mariah murmured as she ducked a roundhouse kick from Layla, and turned the tables by latching onto Layla after getting her into the ropes, and doing a somersault three quarter facelock bulldog .

"Ya act like that hurt, El.. Get up you fucking drama queen." Mariah stated boredly as she stifled a yawn while ducking a chair shot that Nikki tried to send her way.

AJ scrambled for the ladder.. She couldn't let any of these girls take what belonged to her, what she had left after all of her losses, all of the supposed and imagined pain she'd suffered.

"Oh hell no." Kaitlyn muttered as she yanked the ladder from beneath her former friend, then climbed a rope, diving down, driving her forearm into AJ's throat.

Backstage, the men in the locker room were all now crowded around the television.. They hadn't actually seen any of the girls fight like this, really. They knew the girls possessed the ability, of course, but for some reason, McMahon preferred to water them down, make them less of a threat.

"Oh shit.. Did she just take off her belt and wrap it around her fist?"

"Son, that's a move daddy taught her I bet my life on it.. Undertaker's a cold son of a bitch." one of the guys muttered as they watched while onscreen Mariah used her leather belt to punch someone in the face.

"McMahon never should have said anything goes.." Heath chuckled as he nudged Justin Gabriel and asked, "Remember that time she got it in her head that she was gonna go up against Nexus with nothing but a steel chair, just because she got sick of our shit?"

"Actually, it wasn't all of Nexus, Heath.. She was just sick of Wade's hitting on her, buddy."

"Still though."

"What do you think, man? She's not some weak little girl.. I mean she grew up back here.. Same as my Nattie." Tyson said proudly, as he added, "And Undertaker, hell.. He was her only parent, really."

"Yeah, that kinda explains things." someone muttered as finally, the match was won by Natalya Neidhart with surprisingly NONE of her friends coming to try and take advantage of the open ladder, themselves.

Natalya didn't see anyone around her, and everyone was busy, so she bit her lip in determination as Kaitlyn yelped, "Fucking do it, Nattie! Remember what we were all talking about.."

She gave a nod, and hurriedly stood the ladder up, climbed it, and nearly got knocked off by Brie Bella, who saw her and stopped her little fight with both Layla El and Eve Torres long enough to come over, try and stop Natalya from trying to get up the ladder and grab the belt.

Eve saw her though and grabbed her by her hair, slinging her to the mat as she asked Brie, "Going somewhere, Bella twit?"

She dived onto her, then sat on top of her and Natalya climbed the ladder, grabbed the belt.

The four females shot one another smirks.. So far, their little hastily formed plan was going off rather well, if they had to say so.. Even though they hadn't counted on Eve not only coming back, but coming back as someone not a pain in the ass, and on their side.

The four women limped up the ramp backwards, staring in shock at the chaos they left in their wake, arms around each other's shoulders as the crowd went insane for a Diva match for once. From his spot at the announcer table, Mr. McMahon muttered, "Well I'll be damned."

Backstage, the four women tried to make their way to the medic to get cleaned up, looked over. It had been a free for all, basically, nobody came away without an injury.

"That was slick, the thing with the belt."

"Yeah? Well where the hell did you learn to get your leg up that high, Torres?"

"You'd be amazed." Eve smirked as she leaned in and whispered cheekily, "I'll teach you guys sometime."

"Damn it to hell.. Those bitches ripped my Sturgis bike fest shirt." Mariah noticed as Kaitlyn peeled off her top most tanktop and tossed it at her friend as she looked at the other 3 women and said quietly, "Thanks.. I mean in all of this, you guys are sticking by me, it really does mean a lot."

"You're our girl, boo."

"Look, we might have had our differences in the past, Kaitlyn, but any one of us as champion is tons better than any one of them, any day of the week. And if we want a change? We're going to just about have to reach out and take it." Eve pointed out as Natalya nodded in agreement and added, "Carpe Diem."

"Veni Vedi Vecci." Mariah mused as she winced and said "But really.. Who the hell hit me in the ribs with the fuckin chair, though?"

"Oh that was Nikki."

"Yeah, remind me to strangle her next time I see her. I think she bruised one of 'em. Damn it. Crap."

The hushed whispering of the men lingering in front of the monitor in the medics office stopped when the four women walked in, leaning heavily on one another. Stella raced over to her mommy from where she'd been sitting with Naomi and Cameron, Brodus and Tensai.

"That was awesome, mama!"

"Yeah, but baby? Don't try any of that stuff okay?"

"I won't." Stella promised as Mariah bent down carefully, went to pick up Stella, only to have her father walk over, take Stella as he sternly pointed to the inner office area of the medic while trying not to laugh.

"I told ya you missed it." he called out as she waved him off, limped into the office behind her friends.

Sitting in the medics office, she found herself surrounded by the three men who'd attacked her father not so long ago.

She rolled her eyes dismissively before abruptly turning to face Natalya, Kaitlyn and Eve.

"Whoa.. Any reason you did that?"

"Yeah.. Because if I hadn't, girls, I'd have been in another damn fight. Hounds my ass.. More like scoundrels." she muttered slightly loud as Eve snickered and then said "Yeah? Well one of 'em is a horndog.. He's looking you up and down.."

"Lemme guess.. Fucking Ambrose."

"One and the same." Kaitlyn said as she winked cheekily at Seth who smirked, gave a nod.

"He can stare all he wants, ladies, because this kitchen ain't open. I'd rather have sex with a troll."

At that remark, Dean smirked and called out boldly, "Yeah? Well I heard Daniel Bryan's going longer than 8 minutes now days."

"Ooh, and he's got facial handlebars too.. Wouldn't that piss in Brie's kool aid?" Mariah mused as Natalya turned and said to Dean, "Do you mind? You're only encouraging her, Ambrose."

Dean snickered and Mariah flipped him off covertly as she muttered "I fucking hate that guy."

"Because they attacked your dad, right?"

"That and about 10 million other reasons." Mariah muttered as she drummed her fingers against the table top in front of them impatiently and whined, "What's taking so long, jesus christ."

"You act like you don't like doctors."

"Actually, K.. I believe this has been established already, love.. I hate 'em. Didn't we have this discussion a few years back when we wound up sitting in an ER at 2 because that one girl wouldn't just piss off, and I got into a fight, bit off more than I could chew and wound up getting busted in the head by a long neck bottle?"

"Yeah.. Not your finest moment, sweetheart." Kaitlyn muttered as Eve laughed a little and then added, "I think I saw that."

"Yeah.. Like Kaitlyn said.. Not my finest moment.. It was before I had Stell, I was going through some stuff and.. Let's just say I'm a blackout drinker, leave it at that."

Across the office, Randy Orton listened to the group of women as he smirked to himself while reading a back issue of sports illustrated. Truth be told, he'd sort of thought Mariah was cute when she'd been on the roster the first time around, he just never said anything then.

The door to the medic's office opened and Sheamus walked out, grumbling about the doctors continued warnings about his leg. He stopped a moment and then studied the new (she was new to him, actually, he hadn't been on the roster long when she'd been here last, they'd barely talked) diva with interest. "Helluva foight out tere, lass."

" Woulda been better if it woulda went to the parking lot." Mariah mused with a slight wink as she bit her lower lip and eyed the bruise on his leg.

"Ouch.. Yeah, that's a hell of a bruise, Irish."

"Indeed et es, Texas." Sheamus said as he winked back casually, then remarked, " Tat black eye es gonna hurt loike bloody hell in te mornin."

"Probably so. Actually, we're probably all gonna feel like we got hit by a damn train to be completely honest." Mariah said as Randy spoke up and then said "Looked like you guys were having fun out there."

Natalya laughed and said with a smirk, "Actually, Orton, we kinda were." and looked briefly from Mariah, who was now turned upside down in the chair, reading an old issue of Rolling Stone, with her feet resting on the wall near the window, and then back to Orton, who sort of every now and then cut his eyes in Mariah's direction.

Yep, he still liked checking her out.

Sometimes, Natalya wondered if her friend even really noticed that guys seemed to check her out a lot.. Or at least 2 or three that she knew of did..

Mariah never really seemed to act as if she were aware of it, it was one of many reasons Natalya liked her. Kaitlyn leaned in and muttered, "Me thinks somebody likes our little buddy."

"And so do I.. Two somebodies, actually." Eve muttered as she smirked at Zack who sat nearby, watching Mariah sort of curiously.

"Make that 3. Ambrose will not stop looking over here. It's beginning to give me the creeps, actually." Natalya shivered as Kaitlyn said "And Sheamus was kind of flirting with her just now, I don't think she even noticed."

"She didn't. That's what made it so cute to watch." Eve said matter of factly as they helped one another into the inner office of the in house medic.

As they walked out, Mariah rolled her eyes one last time in the Shield's direction and muttered, "They fuck with my dad again, they're on my shit list next." to herself.

She couldn't really explain why Ambrose unnerved her like he did, he just sort of always had, every time they'd ran into one another.

In the hallway, she took Stella from her father, and to her surprise, Randy walked over and asked casually, "This cannot possibly be that little tiny girl I held in one hand after you had her, Riah."

"Believe it or not, Viper, she is." Mariah said proudly as Stella said "You held me? Cooool." and looked at him with wide eyes. Last time she'd been here, she'd been maybe 2, she didn't really remember too many of the guys her mom worked with, mostly because her mom was either always with her grandpa, or she was hanging out with Kaitlyn and Natalya, her godmothers.

But she would like to have a daddy, it'd be really nice.. She looked from Randy to her mommy and then smiling said "I a big girl now. Not a baby."

"Yes, you are." Randy said with a smile as he asked, "How old are you, little old lady?" jokingly as he bent to her level.

"I 5, Mr. Viper."

"Ahh, 5.. Good age."

"Mhmm." Stella said as she gaped at Sheamus when he walked out of the office, then commenced to waving her arms frantically.

Sheamus chuckled and walked over to his friend, Randy as he looked at the little girl. If at all possible, she was just as pretty as her mother, he found himself shocked to be thinking this, considering as he barely knew either of them.

" I likes when you kicks people in the face. It funny." Stella giggled as she looked up at the ginger haired male and then asked, "You leg better? I seen the bruise on my mama's tv."

"It's gettin better, little lass." Sheamus said as he looked at her and smiling asked, "So yeh watch the show?"

"Mhmm.. I likes you and Viper and... That man with the long black hair, but mama say I not supposed to, cause he one of the asses that attacked poppa."

Sheamus snickered as Mariah palmed her face and groaning said "Stella.. We've had this discussion already. Those are big people words, you're not supposed to say 'em."

"Mama, I sorry, it just what you say."

Stella bit her lower lip as she cautiously went to the two men standing in front of her, first Sheamus, then to Randy.

"Can you shows me around back here? Poppa say he will, but he started watchin mama fight and got 'cited."

"If yer mom says it's alroight, lass." Sheamus said as he shifted his gaze back to Mariah who thought it over a moment and then said "Maybe another night, Stel.. They're probably tired, baby.. Speaking of tired, let's go find a seat.. Mommy's worn slam out right now."

"Otay mommy."

As she walked off with her 'friends' and her daughter, she wasn't aware, but a few of the men in question were watching her, each with their own thoughts in mind.

But she never really paid much attention to men flirting with her, really, so she was totally unaware of this. The men involved, however, were not, and looks were exchanged, a silent challenge amongst them all was issued.

Sitting down in catering, she unwrapped the cheeseburger she'd grabbed for Stella, and then munched on her own cheeseburger as she and Kaitlyn ,Natalya and Eve talked about the past few years, how the Diva's locker room got so bad that none of them could stomach being in it for very long.

"But with our plan though, that's all about to change. I'm so sick of getting screwed over because I'm not enough of a bimbo or crazy enough."

"Speak for yourself. Having been on both sides of the fence, I gotta say.. I'm enjoying this one so much more." Eve said as she fed Stella a french fry, smiled at the little girl and asked Mariah, "Where's her father?"

Mariah gritted her teeth.. The one question she didn't like discussing. She muttered quietly, "I'll tell you later. I don't like discussing it when Stel's around. I think it upsets her because she never got to meet him."

The four women fell silent a few moments, and then to change the subject Kaitlyn asked with a smirk, "So.. We're all playing cards at the hotel tonight, right?"

"Umm, yeah? I mean unless you three are too scared to lose all that money." Mariah joked as Natalya explained to Eve, "Our girls night, since we've always had Stella around, is all of us, playing Texas Hold 'Em.. We drink a little when Volt's gone to sleep."

"Count me in." Eve smirked as the women laughed a little and high fived one another. All in all, it really looked like their tentative plan to take back the divsion and take it by storm, well.. It just might be working after all.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?

The chapter above.. I got inspired while watching Miz Tv for tonight. And yeah, while I'm not eve's biggest fan, judging by what the line up is as of late? I'd take her back over this crap with AJ and the Bellas. I realize that it all probably would never go down this way, but what the hell, right? It's my imagination, lol. Blame my overactive imagination..

Roman's not up for a pairing in this one, btw, just in case I actually pick up writing my roman x oc story later. But yeah, That's about it.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope you guys are liking the story so far.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mama.. We gon be late! The movie start at 3!" Stella paced the parking lot nervously as Mariah bent over the open hood of her 67 Camaro, swearing as smoke billowed from beneath. "Mama! Just lemme go get somebody to helps ya!" Stella explained impatiently as Mariah laughed a little and bending to her daughters level said with a smirk, "Naw, baby girl.. Just go pop the trunk, mama's got this. We might have to go to a later movie though."

"Darn it, mama! Why don't ya just buy a NEW car?"

"Shhh. We don't talk like that in front of beast, baby girl, you hear me?" Mariah giggled as Stella groaned and muttered grumpily, "More likes piece of poo on toast, not beast.."

She shuffled around the car and grabbed her mommy's few tools, and the blanket and walked back around, then said again, "Mama.. Aunt Nattie and Unca T are right there. Please lemme go get 'em?"

"Sugar bean, mama's been workin on cars since she was your age.. Now, just sit back, play angry birds and prepare to be amazed." Mariah said as she stretched out the blanket, slid beneath the car, tools in hand.

It just so happened that Wade Barrett happened to be walking out of the hotel with Zack Ryder, Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre.

"This for you own good, mama." Stella murmured as she looked around the parking lot. Satisfied that there were no other cars around, she ran over, tugged the first set of cargo shorts wearing legs she saw. They just happened to belong to those of Wade Barrett, naturally.

"My mama sir.. She bein stubborn, she say she can fixes her car and... It broke down and I wanna go see planes and can ya helps us please?" Stella asked, flashing a bright pleading smile at the British male.

"Whoa, slow down, doll.. Now begin again, calmer." Wade said as he bent to the little girls level, wondering what woman would just let her child run freely around the parking lot, there were cars that flew in and out. It never once occured to him that Mariah was completely unaware of her daughter's having come over to ask for help because she'd firmly told her to stay , Stella listened fairly well to her mother, because like Undertaker had been a commanding and firm parent, so was Mariah with her own child.

But then again, normally, there wasn't a movie out that Stella had talked about nonstop, either.

"Where's your mum at, doll?"

Stella pointed to the 67 Camaro where Mariah stood looking for Stella, swearing when she saw Stella talking to the men on the roster, jogging over.

"Do you let your daughter run round the bloody lot like this all the time?" Wade asked, hiding a smirk as Mariah's entire body stiffened and a stormy angry look filled her eyes as she said calmly, "For your information, Barrett.. I told her to set her behind in the car. So no, I do not do this, all the time. And if I were to say I did, what's it your business?"

Wade laughed and then muttered, "Simmer down, doll.. Just trying to get a rise out of you. Just like old times, remember?"

"It's 100 plus degrees out here, Wade, so I wouldn't advise it.. Or do you need a reminder of how that chair felt in your ribs, buddy?"

Wade chuckled and leaning in, smirked as he said calmly, "Let a man handle this." as he took the tools from her oil stained hands.

He walked towards the car as he shook his head, smirking to himself. He knew Tyson and Natalya were keeping an eye on Stella now, of course, because as he got closer to the car, he saw Tyson and Natalya standing there, chuckling as Natalya apologized, "Tyson said she could, he walked her up to the flowerbed and watched her cross, for your information." with a smirk.

Zack smiled as the little girl looked up at him and gestured to be picked up as she said quietly, "My mama kinda stubborn. She say that where I gets it, but.. I'd have buyed a new car by now. She keep fixin that one."

Zack picked up the little girl as he said, "So.. Mommy's gonna take you to see Planes, huh?"

"Mhmm.. I likes them movies. I loved Cars, Mater was my favorite!"

Zack chuckled as he watched Wade and Stella in a bit of a staredown, both giving each other completely different looks.

"He like my mama, don't he?" Stella asked in curiousity as Zack nodded and muttered quietly, "He's not the only one, lil broskette."

"Really? Who else?" Stella asked in a hurry so she could remember the names for later, because after all, she was trying to find herself a daddy.

Jed had been the wrong man for her mommy, so Stella figured if SHE picked the person this time, it might go a little better for both of them, as opposed to her mother NOT picking anyone.

Her real daddy was dead, and her mommy still hurt about it, all the time, even if she said she didn't. But Stella figured that whoever he was, he'd want her mommy to be happy again, not just pretending to be.

Wade looked at the antique workings beneath the hood and said "Looks like a headgasket. But I'm not a bloody mechanic."

"Really?" Mariah asked with a smirk as she groaned and muttered, "Figures it'd be a damn headgasket.. Maybe Stel's right, I need to park this one, get a new one."

"She is a smart little girl." Wade pointed out as he chuckled, then said "Last time we talked, I was an arse."

"If that's you apologizing, yeah, you kinda were.. But hey, like always, I was a bitch, so.. It's all good, I guess." Mariah shrugged casually, as she shut the hood and then said calmly, "Truce?"

"Truce." Wade said as he shook her hand, winked and walked away.

Mariah stood there a moment, her hand in her long black hair, biting her lower lip, as she glared at the car a few moments longer. "Okay, Stel, you win."

A few moments later, she walked over to the group of guys Stella was currently being passed around by, having the time of her life as Natalya and Tyson watched like hawks, Tyson smirking as he told Natalya, "And look at these so called hardasses. Hand 'em a kid, they go soft."

"Hey.. You're the one who fed her animal crackers earlier, just because she pouted, Ty, so do not even go there."

"What? No.. She was hungry, Nattie, her stomach was growling."

"Right, Tyson."

"Okay, guys, gimme Volt." Mariah said casually as she reached out to Heath, her longtime guy friend, to take Stella, who giggled and said "Mama.. 3MB gonna sing me a bedtime song!"

"Oh no.. They're not."

"And why the hell not, Ri?"

"Because Heath, you are NOT singing SEX to my kid."

"I was gonna sing her another song, Ms. Smarty Pants." Heath joked as Mariah groaned and then said "Sorry if she bugged you guys."

"It wasn't like we were going ta do anythin bloody important, lass." Drew stated as Jinder nodded in agreement, then laughing said "Taking it Stella's been bugging you to buy a new car?"

"She has, yes."

"She's bossy.. Kinda like somebody else we know, right guys?" Heath joked as Mariah gave him a dirty look and then muttered something.

"Mama, Zack gaved me sunshades. See?" Stella asked as she flipped the orange shades down, smiled.

"Aww, did you thank him, hon?"

"Mhmm.. I tryna get 'em to all go sees planes wif us!"

"Baby girl, they're probably all busy." Mariah started, groaning inwardly. Apparently, Eve, Kaitlyn and Natalya were playing matchmaker, and Stella was now helping them.

Mariah just didn't know if she were really ready.. She'd never gotten over losing Abel, Stella's real dad, the guy she'd been about to marry before she ever became a Diva, one of the reasons, actually, she had become a Diva.. He'd always been after her to make her dream happen.

Their daughter never really even got to meet them.

"Actually, we really don't have a whole lot to do, lass." Sheamus said in amusement as Stella clapped excitedly, and then said "And we canna takes you car, mama, cause it broke down again and.. Please? They all say they wanta go wif us."

"Oh really.. They did, huh?"

"Even Ziggly."

Mariah looked at Dolph who shrugged and muttered, "Oh really.. Even Ziggler, huh?"

Dolph shrugged and then said with a smirk, "Yeah.. AJ will really flip her shit, I figure."

"Oh she will." Mariah said as she looked at the guys, then at Eve, Kaitlyn and Natalya, Tyson, who were all going with her already anyway.

"Okay, why not... Hey, Stella?"

"Yeah, mama?"

"There's an amusement park in this mall.."

"Really?"  
"Really. What do you say we get on the coasters? It takes you through the whole mall!"

"Ooh, mama, can we?"

"We can. Let's go then, guys."

The group set off for the mall, Mariah and Stella found themselves stuck in an SUV with Wade, Sheamus, Zack, Heath, Drew, Jinder.

"There's also a giant fish tank in this mall." Wade pointed out with a smirk as he watched Stella's face light up.

From across the parking lot, Dean muttered to himself, "Well then.. Guess it looks like I'ma go to the mall." as he stubbed out a cigarette, got into his own rental car.

Somehow, he was going to prove that several things people thought about him, while true, weren't necessarily ALWAYS the whole truth.

Stella looked at Wade and said "I wanna see it."

"Okay, good. I didn't want to bloody walk by myself to see it, Stella." Wade chuckled as Stella clapped and let herself be strapped into her booster seat without fighting the straps for once.

Maybe today could sort of help her narrow down the field, see who she might want for a daddy, who her mommy went well with also.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?

The chapter above.. I got inspired while watching Miz Tv for tonight. And yeah, while I'm not eve's biggest fan, judging by what the line up is as of late? I'd take her back over this crap with AJ and the Bellas. I realize that it all probably would never go down this way, but what the hell, right? It's my imagination, lol. Blame my overactive imagination..

Roman's not up for a pairing in this one, btw, just in case I actually pick up writing my roman x oc story later. But yeah, That's about it.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope you guys are liking the story so far.


	5. Chapter 5

They sat in the car lot, discussing the cars that they'd test driven so far, her male counterparts on the roster weighing in with their personal opinions, as well as Kaitlyn and Natalya. Mariah bit her lower lip as she fixed her eyes again on the 2013 Camaro, the superman blue one.

"Mama.. You already has a Camaro.. Gets the Eclipse!" Stella chattered as Heath snickered and then said "Mama's not good with a stick, hon." getting a dirty look from his friend Mariah who said stiffly, "Am too, just don't drive 'em much.. When you have a kid, Slater, you tell me if you'd rather have a vehicle in which you have at least one free hand, just in case you need to grab 'em real fast."

"Like the time Jed try to runned us offa the roads?" Stella asked with wide eyes as Mariah sighed and muttered quietly, "Yeah, Volt." as she again kicked herself for ever meeting Jed, getting involved with him and letting him into her little girl's life.

She tried to ignore the glances of concern she was getting from her guy friends and her female friends, and quickly changed the subject as she said "Actually, I kinda like the Mustang."

"The 5.0?"

"No, idget, the Cobra." Mariah said as Heath snickered and Jack Swagger pointed out, "Yeah, but it's a convertible, Ri."

"Damn it, Swagger, I already knew that."

From behind them, Dean spoke up, making the collective group (all save Mariah, of course, and Stella) roll their eyes as he said with a smirk, "I'm kinda with ya on the Camaro."

"And it bloody matters again, why?" Wade asked as he glared at the male, challenging him openly. He knew that Stella seemed to be drawn to the man, but he was sort of hoping she'd get attached to him just as easily.. He was trying, this time..

Mariah looked at Dean, gave a smallish smirk and then said "Why do you want me to get the Eclipse, Stella?"

"Cause it dark purple.. It the color of Poppa's fireworks sometimes."

Mariah groaned as she asked, "So... What about the red truck?"

"Mama, it too tall!"

"I know.. That's why Mama likes it." Mariah smirked as Stella groaned and muttered, "You girl.. You 'posed to drive car, dang it." before falling silent and tugging on Dean's pants leg. She pointed to the black Nissan 350 Z across the lot and said "That one pretty."

Wade's gaze followed as did Dean's and Wade chuckled as he bent to pick Stella up, okay, so it was a possessive move on his part, but he wasn't just going to fade back and let Dean win this, either. This was a competition, to the British male, and it was one that was important enough to him that he wanted to win. "Ask your mum if we can test drive it." he suggested with a wry smirk as Mariah looked from Stella, who was begging with her eyes, and Wade, who was grinning boyishly.

"You don't fly like a bat outta hell, Barrett. I mean it.. And fasten her in." Mariah relented after a few moments thought.

For some reason, her kid felt safest with two of the more unpredictable men on the roster, she had to wonder why.. So, she had all day to sort of try and see why her little girl felt safest with the two of them, and figure some things out on her own, as to where who could and could not be trusted, were concerned.

No, she wasn't considering dating either man, really.. She wasn't looking for anyone, in all honesty. She just wanted to sort of see them the way her daughter saw them. Because she was curious, that was all.

As Wade fastened Stella in, she smiled at him brightly and then said "I wikes you.. But I also wikes some of the other guys, sir." honestly. Wade studied her a moment and grinning said "And I appreciate your honesty, Stella. Let's see if I can't make you like me more... May I tell you a secret?"

"Mhmms.. I won't tell nobody."

"I like your mum.. Hell, I've liked her a bloody long time now, really."

Back in the car lot, Miz grumbled to himself as he muttered, "That bastard.." smirked to himself a little.. He was curious now, of course, because quite a few of the guys had made it known they all intended to go for the Phenom's daughter, and that they'd like to sort of step up and be Stella's 'dad' too. This was including himself, of course, and he and Wade, well, they'd been sort of arguing about Wade's actual intentions, because Miz only remembered the first time Mariah was on the roster, how Wade liked flirting with her, bragging about their one brief one night stand.

"Yeah.. Figures the asshole would try and capitalize on their one night judgement lapse." he muttered to himself as he called Mariah over and said "Range Rover.. It's not a truck, it's not a muscle car, but.. It's actually pretty dependable, and they're pretty safe, statistically."

He smirked a little to himself. Mariah looked in the window, then said "It's kinda biggish though.."

"Yeah, but Stella has a whole backseat for her dolls and you have more room for your luggage, the stuff you have to have with Stell being on the road with you. I know, it looks like a crackerjack box on wheels, but hey.. It's got room."

She smiled at Miz and said "I like it. Remember the row, we're definitely gonna come back to it." as they walked between the rows of cars, hybrids, trucks and SUVS.

Dean approached the jacked up truck, a smirk on his face as he shot a look behind him at Mariah, only to growl when he saw Mike Mizanin and Zack Ryder, the idiots of 3MB all talking to her.

Tyson Kidd walked over and said casually, a slightly menacing voice, "Don't know why you're here, Ambrose, but I'm pretty damn sure you're only doing this to get into Taker's head.. At least that's what my Nattie tells me she thinks, and she's pretty damn smart."

"That a threat, Kidd?"

"Hell no, Ambrose.. If you fuck with those two just to get to Taker? It's a promise.. I will find a way to kick your ass.. I grew up with Ri, Nattie's my girl and she's like a sister to Ri, so if you screw with them? You screw with their extended family, my man."

"You wouldn't understand this ya Canadian dipshit, but maybe there's not some 'sick' reason I'm here. Not all about the mindgames."

"Why the hell are you here even?" Jack Swagger asked from behind them, a curious look that was slightly menacing in his eyes as he studied Dean carefully, then added, "Because we all know, Ambrose.. You only do something if there's somethin in it for you."

"Let's just say I knew her a long time ago, leave it at that, got it?" Dean grumbled angrily as he shoved the two men, walked off to look at a yellow car he'd seen that he thought Mariah might like.

"They wouldn't fuckin get it, not in a million fuckin years..because nobody knows about the on again and off again thing we had going on when we were in CZW." he grumbled to himself.. Then again, in her defense, he'd treated her probably worse than Jed had, and he'd sort of always been obsessed with getting her back, proving her wrong about him, proving that their time together had meant something..

Mariah watched Dean looking at the truck, muttered to herself, "That guy looks too damn much like Jon." as she shook her head, got back to talking to Kaitlyn and Natalya about the pros and cons of the cars they'd test driven, just to kill time.

Wade smiled to himself as Stella asked him question after question about where he came from, about how long he knew her mommy, and why he liked her so much.. After answering them all, he pulled into a drive through window and turned to Stella asking, "Betting you're a strawberry ice cream girl?"

Stella gasped, her hand going to her mouth, her eyes going wide as she nodded her head excitedly, then asked, "How'd ya know, sir?"

"Your mum.. She eats it by the pint. Doesn't know I know that though."

"Mama gonna be mad cause I eated ice cream."

"Well, she'll just have to be mad at me, hmm." Wade muttered as he got their ice cream, drove them back to the lot. Mariah groaned as she saw Stella getting out, a strawberry ice cream in hand and she gave Wade a look. She'd have gotten upset but she smiled instead. She hadn't seen Stella laughing that much in a while, really, so she couldn't really say anything.

With a quiet smirk, Dean walked over and bent to the ice cream faced little girl as he asked, "Hey.. I was thinkin.. Ya wanna try and drive that Eclipse again?"

She begged her mom and Mariah studied him a moment, then said "Do not haul ass with her, okay? She scares easier than she seems to act like."

"Would ya fuckin relax, Ria?" Dean asked, the name he used to call her when they'd been on again, off again, volatile together during CZW coming out easily.

She studied him a moment, biting her lower lip intently as Stella tugged her sleeve and said "Mama, I be alright.. He won't hurt me.. Like Wade won't hurt me."

"Okay, Stel, but don't be a pain." Mariah said as Dean picked up the little girl, carried her to the Eclipse, smirked as he fastened her in and said "So.. Ya like this car, huh?"

"Mhmm. Can I asks ya somethin?"

"Yeah, Volt."

"Do ya like my mommy or somethin? You always lookin at her or tryna make her mad and usually when people does that, they likes someone."

"Actually, yeah.. And we kinda were together before.. Just don't think ya ma remembers. Don't blame her for tryin to forget, either."

"She remember, I thinks, cause sometimes, I sees her lookin at you."

"Ya do, huh?"

"Yeah."

Stella thought for a moment.. So both Wade AND Dean liked her mommy, hmm.. And she liked them both.. But she wondered if they really meant it too. She couldn't afford to be wrong, this not only affected her, but also, her mommy, who'd been through an awful lot.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?

The chapter above.. I got inspired while watching Miz Tv for tonight. And yeah, while I'm not eve's biggest fan, judging by what the line up is as of late? I'd take her back over this crap with AJ and the Bellas. I realize that it all probably would never go down this way, but what the hell, right? It's my imagination, lol. Blame my overactive imagination..

Roman's not up for a pairing in this one, btw, just in case I actually pick up writing my roman x oc story later. But yeah, That's about it.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope you guys are liking the story so far.


	6. Chapter 6

"She's shitting us.. Right?" Mariah gaped at the monitor in the Diva's locker room, her hand on her hip as she bit her lower lip.

"Nope, apparently not." Natalya muttered as Mariah growled and then said "So she's gonna turn her back on us, for that skipping piece of shit?"

"You said it, Ri, not me." Kaitlyn said as the three women looked at one another and smirked. "Just to check.. You two thinkin what I'm thinkin right now?"

"Mhmm."

"Deffo. Lemme see if pops has gotten back from the doctor so I can get him to watch Stella, okay?" Mariah said as she slunk out into the hallway, smacking into Layla El, who was talking to AJ Lee.

"Awww.. If it's not the trashiest of the trashy. Sleep with any bikers last night?"

"Fuck you in the ass with a spoon, Lee." Mariah said stiffly as she clenched her fists closed and open, dying to get a piece of her.

"Careful, Mariah.. This is a pg show." Layla reprimanded as Mariah smirked and calmly said "Stella?"

"Yeah mama?"

"Go back in the locker room, real quick. I'm gonna be sayin a lot of adult words, probably gonna beat the crap outta these two bimbos. You don't need to see it, Volt."

"But mama!"

"GO!" Mariah said, barely keeping her calm at this point, because AJ kept eyeing her little girl like she intended to do something to her, and Mariah was not about to have that.

"I never gets to has any funs." Stella pouted as she shuffled into the locker room and tugged the hem of her godmommy Eve's cutoffs and said "Mama and AJ about to fight outside."

Eve bent to pick up the little girl and then asked, "Was it just Mama and AJ?"

"Uh Uh.. I thinks Brie and Nikki was hidin, and I knows I see Layla with her."

"S-err, crap, sweetie, Aunt Eve meant to say crap."

"Put me down, go helps her!"

Wade spoke up from the hallway, "Since doesn't look like it's gonna bloody end anytime soon, and nobody's seen Undertaker, I'll take her. Might be better if I do." as he stepped in, held out his arms for Stella, who clapped and laughed, seeing the fight going on behind him in the hallway.

Eve eyed him warily, but Natalya nudged her and said "It's okay.. He's a stiff prick sometimes, but he's not like some of the other idiots back here. Besides, she likes him."

Eve nodded and the remaining few women involved in this little ongoing war ran out into the hallway, grabbing someone as all hell broke loose backstage.

The fight began to pick up intensity and noiseoutside, drawing a crowd around the group of girls. "We were hoping that skank Eve or Natalya would be the one who walked out first.. But you'll have to do." Layla said as Eve laughed and called out, "Right back here, Layla, or can you not see me over all the silicon in your tits now days?" and lunged at her, taking her down.

Mariah smirked as her hand closed around a mop handle lying nearby and she swung it a few times, the handle making contact with AJ's face. "You were saying, doll?" she asked as she laughed. Natalya caught up to her quickly, explained that Wade had Stella until her father or Michelle finally got to the arena.

"Just as long as she stays out of this. I don't want her getting hurt." Mariah said as they set to destroying the hallway with each other's fight spilled over into the parking lot where Dean Ambrose sat with a few of the other guys, smoking and talking for a little bit, and the men quickly realized it was move or be moved, stepping back, smirks on their faces.

"What's gotten into 'em lately?"

"Hell, I been wondering the same thing." Seth muttered as Dean yelled "Go for her knees, Ria, damn. Ya act like a damn rookie out there, I know ya know what the hell ya doin."

Mariah shot him a thumbs up, ignoring the fact that once again, he'd called her the same thing Mox used to when they dated and she was on independent. She wouldn't realize what he'd said for the second time in the week until later, when she was calmed down, actually..

She dove, took Brie down by the knees, and then the security descended on them as the cameras captured everything that'd happened, streaming it to the front.

About an hour later found the entire group of Divas sitting in Mr. McMahon's office as the man paced, obviously a little peeved at their antics.

Stella giggled as she looked up at Wade and whispered, "Mama in deep poo."

Wade bit back a laugh and then said "She is, Volt."

"But she not the one who starts it. I sawed it all! I tellin." Stella said as she climbed down Wade's body, and before he could catch her, she'd gone into the inner office, tugged on Mr. McMahon's pants and looked up at him, a non amused look on her chubby little face.

"What is it, Stella?"

"Ya can't be mad at my mama and my aunties.. They didn't starts it.. They just finish it. It was those stupits over there." Stella said as she growled and pointed in AJ's direction.

"She's lying." AJ said quickly as Vince's eyes settled on AJ and her little 'group'.

He paced a few more moments and said calmly, "What has gotten into you ladies?"

The shouting and name calling, taunts started all over again and Wade walked in, grabbing Stella quickly, stepping back out, shutting the door. A few seconds later, he was tapped on the shoulder by Mariah's father, Undertaker, who asked with a smirk, "Lemme guess. Girls gone wild, WWE Backstage Brawl edition?"

"Mhmm." Wade said as Undertaker held out his arms, Stella went to him. "You late! You miss everything! Mama got a chair, and she throwed somebody in the garbage bin even."

Undertaker chuckled and looking at Wade said warily, "Thanks for watchin her.. The baby got sick, had to take her to the doctor. Michelle was worried sick."

"Not a problem. Stella and I watched." Wade chuckled as Stella laughed and then said "It was funny, you say you was gonna give 'em all a bullhammer."

"I would have too." Wade muttered as Undertaker eyed him suspiciously. He wasn't entirely sure how much he liked this guy hanging around his daughter, but he figured anybody beat her ex, or that other guy she dated, who was on their roster now.

Oh yeah, he knew about Ambrose and his daughter, and no, it didn't make him happy, not in the slightest. But he could kind of see the attraction the guy might have had for Mariah, she'd always dated the 'bad guys', he'd learned a long time ago, the less he said, the better off. When he had to, he stepped in. Until then?

Not even.

Michelle, on the other hand, rushed over and then said "Thank God Wade had Volt."

"Is that why you were drivin like a bat outta hell when Eve texted, told ya what was happenin?"

"You're damn right, Mark. There is no way in hell I'm gonna let Ambrose alone with my grandkid."

Wade chuckled.. Maybe getting closer to Mariah and Stella was going to be a little easier than he originally anticipated.

Now, if only he could get Mariah to cave..

Mariah walked out of the office fuming as Undertaker put his hands on her arms and said "Breathe in.. Breathe out.."

"Not helping, daddy."

"What'd McMahon say?" Michelle asked in concern as Mariah growled and said "That sexist son of a... Oh we're all getting a match alright.. He wants us to fight for the contendership.. Again.. Anything goes.. In bikinis. Do I look like I'ma parade around in my skimpies just to prove I fuckin deserve to fight, daddy?"

Undertaker growled then said "You don't have to."

"I'm not."

"Neither are we. We're all gonna wear the tops, but cut offs on bottom. If he doesn't like it, he can.."

"Hey, whoa, kid present." Kaitlyn cut Eve off in mid rant as Mariah chuckledand then said "So.. I'm starving.. Anyone else?"

Wade smirked and said "You do still like those disgusting, greasy cheeseburgers, right?" as he held one out from the concession stand, along with a cold soda.

"Awww.. Look at you.. Being all sweet and stuff." Mariah joked as Wade shrugged then said "Not really.. Stella got ice cream."

"Damn it, Wade, seriously?"

He chuckled and said "Relax.. Wasn't enough to give her a sugar rush."

"Says the man that let her eat half a damn bag of Lucky Charms." Mariah muttered as she looked at her former enemy turned probably best male friend..

Could there be more there, if she let it?

And why did Dean Ambrose remind her so much of the guy she dated while on independent? What about her feelings there?

Instead of thinking too much, she dug into her food, practically inhaling it.

First, she needed to get her head back on straight, get herself and her daughter settled into their new lives.. Then, maybe she'd try and date again.

But she'd been watching both men with Stella, and she had to say.. She wasn't ruling either guy out at this point..

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?

The chapter above.. I got inspired while watching Miz Tv for tonight. And yeah, while I'm not eve's biggest fan, judging by what the line up is as of late? I'd take her back over this crap with AJ and the Bellas. I realize that it all probably would never go down this way, but what the hell, right? It's my imagination, lol. Blame my overactive imagination..

Roman's not up for a pairing in this one, btw, just in case I actually pick up writing my roman x oc story later. But yeah, That's about it.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope you guys are liking the story so far.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mama.. We go back to Pop's for weekend?" Stella asked as her mommy packed them up, got ready for a weeks downtime. "Or we go back home?"

"No, sweetie, we're gonna go to Pop's." Mariah said quietly as she winced and remembered just what her daughter had seen, been raised in. Everytime she thought about it, she felt like a failure, or the worst mother in the history of motherhood.

"We gonna see my aunties?"

"Probably not, baby, they all have family they're gonna want to go back to." Mariah started as Natalya stepped in and cleared her throat as she said "Actually, if memory serves, Riah, we all said we'd come out and help you get the guest house at the ranch ready to live in?"

"You guys don't have to.."

"Look.. I'm not gonna put up with Tyson this weekend, not after our little fight the other night.. And you saw what Cam and Naiomi were going through with Jimmy and Jey, did you not? We could all use a girls weekend, and you need our help."

Mariah smiled, hugged her best friend as she said quietly, "You guys don't have to.." as Eve poked her head into the room and asked, "Room for one more? The fiance has conferences all weekend, I really do not feel like going home to the big empty house.."

"Sure." Mariah said as Eve smiled and then took a few deep breaths as she asked "So.. Jed or Jud, whatever his name is.. He hasn't tried calling or anything, right?"

"Last time we were on downtime, he made the mistake of crashing family poker and Dad and Uncle K kinda showed him what a Texas ass kicking felt like.. Uncle Steve was drunk but he had the shotgun loaded and aimed in his face before anyone counted to three."

"What was it like growing up around them?" Eve and Kaitlyn asked as Natalya groaned and said "Between my dad and uncles, her dad and his friends.. We never really had a dull moment backstage."

"Yeah. And when we weren't pestering them, we were pranking each other and the others.. Remember the zit cream in Sable's shampoo?"

"Oh my God, I almost forgot about that!" Natalya laughed as the two women looked at each other and then at Stella as they both said quickly, "No ideas."

The laughing from the hallway of the hotel had them all looking up, and they all rolled their eyes at Brie, Nikki, Layla, AJ standing there.

"What? Want your asses kicked again before we hit the road?" Mariah asked as she held her hand over her daughters ears while Stella grumbled about it.

"No, we just came by to tell you idiots that you might have won the last two fights, but we're gonna get you all." AJ said as she giggled and bounced around on her tiptoes.

A male voice from behind her had them all looking as he said snidely, "Shove off and go play in traffic. All of you. Before the crazy comes out." as Dean Ambrose stepped into view.

"What do you want?"

"We need to have a serious talk." Dean murmured as Mariah looked at him with a raised brow.

He kept eyeing her daughter and then she asked cautiously, "What?"

"I really don't think you want it coming out in here, now do ya?" Dean asked, obviously worked up, a little angry.. See, he'd done the math since he figured out Mariah was the same girl he'd been with off and on during CZW.

Didn't matter that he probably did it wrong, but.. all in the same, if there was even a small chance that Stella was his, you're damn right he was confronting Mariah. Even though as he stood here, he had to ask himself, what if she WERE his..

He'd never had a dad, what the heck even made him think he could begin to even be one?

Roman's words, sagely spoken just moments ago when he'd finally had his arms twisted and told both Seth and Roman his thoughts, kept repeating in his mind.

_'So go tell her.. Confront her about it, man. If you think Stella could be your kid, you better speak up now. At least try, damn it.. Do you really WANT Barrett raising your kid?'_

Before she could say anything, he'd grabbed her, speed walked out into the hallway, down the corner and around to a more private area with her.

"Why the hell haven't ya even bothered to talk to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"We dated almost two years off and on, woman, do not even lie, tell me ya forgot.."

Mariah studied him intently.. "Jon?"

"Finally.. It's about damn time, woman."

"In my defense, Jon, we really never dated... We just kind of fell into bed or something.. And I'm not that girl anymore. I have Stella.."

"I know.. There something you wanna tell me there, Ria?"

Mariah looked at him with a raised brow, then it clicked, what he thought. She grabbed her sides as she leaned over and laughed, then stopped, took a deep breath and asked, "You think... Oh man.."

"Damn it, why wouldn't I think that?"

"Because, Jon, for one thing, she's not your kid. And for another, had she been your kid, I'd have told you, like it or not. I'm not the kinda girl who goes around, lying to cover things up. It's easier to tell the truth, take your shit and get it done with."

"Yeah..." Dean muttered as he looked at her and then asked what he'd been curious about since they'd come to the same lineup again.."Why ya been ignoring me?"

Mariah sighed as she looked at him and said quietly, "Because.. You're not really known for the one girl, one guy kind of stuff, and if I'm gonna ever date again, I have to know that whoever it is, is in it for the good, the bad and the really, really ugly. We fought too much, and when you didn't come up and act like you knew me, I took it to mean that you'd forgotten."

"Yeah? Well obviously ya were wrong." Dean said as he looked at her, laughed a little and then said "If it makes ya feel better.. I was gonna come down here and demand to be in her life, if she was mine.. I still wanna get to know her.. Maybe get reacquainted with you too." as he eyed her warily, as if he weren't sure why the words were still even leaving his mouth as he said them.

"We can be friends. But like I've told everybody else, not really lookin for anything right now.. Still trying to fix my life where Jed messed it up."

Dean studied her a moment. Friends gave him leverage, gave him something to work with and anything was better than Barrett getting his claws in.. Even though he sort of had the feeling that the British male might have already done that very thing.

After all, she and Wade had some history too, he reminded himself.

"That all or?"

"That's all. Sorry, I just.. What did happen to Stella's real dad.. I mean I've heard it wasn't Jed.."

Mariah looked down, bit her lip as she said quietly, "Let's just say it's something I really don't talk about and leave it at that, okay?"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because, Dean, there are just some things about me I don't want all over the damn locker room."

"I'm not gonna tell anybody."

"Right."

"Fine, damn. But you will tell me sooner or later."

"No, Dean, I will not. I don't intend on telling anybody about it, to be honest. My daddy knows, my uncle knows, that's pretty much the only people who need to know it about me. Besides, why's it matter?"

"Because, Ria.. Whatever it is, sooner or later, it's gonna keep eating at ya until ya wind up either telling someone about it, or it ruins ya life.. Why do ya think I just go around being a psycho all the time? It's better than keeping shit in like ya do."

A throat clearing from behind them, Natalya pointing Dean down the hallway stiffly had Mariah almost laughing a little as she said "Relax, Nattie, he was just asking me something."

"Yeah? Well judging from what I heard about him, Ri, asking leads to a lot more with this one." Natalya said in concern as she added, "No offense." quickly, but avoided looking at him any less harsh than she had been when she'd come out to make sure her best friend was alright.

"Think about it, Ria." Dean called over his shoulder as he walked down to his room where Seth and Roman were waiting. And he had to let his mind process how oddly let down he felt at finding out Ria wasn't hiding Stella from him, Stella really was some other guy's kid.

And he had to fight the possessive jealousy that struck him with this realization. What was with him today? Lately?

"What the hell did he want?" Eve asked as she held Stella in her lap, looked at Mariah expectantly.

"Guys, oh my god.. He thought Stella was..."

She started to laugh a little and then said quietly, "He thought Stella was his daughter, from when we dated on CZW, and that I'd been hiding it."

"Is she?" Eve asked as she blurted quickly, "Sorry.. I just.."

"No, she's not." Natalya said quietly, as she looked at Mariah and then said "Mariah doesn't really talk about what happened, but trust me.. It's not a good story."

"How do you know?"

"We were out one night,before you found out about our little buddy Volt here, you got a little too far gone and you sort of told me?" Natalya said quietly as she looked at her best friend, bit her lip.

" haven't you ever said anything to me about it?"

"Because, I can tell it hurts to think about, and you still have problems dealing with it." Natalya said as Stella spoke up and asked, "You okay, mama?"

"Yeah, sweetie." Mariah said as she asked, "So girls.. Looks like we're having an all girls weekend/week?"

"Hell yes. I cannot wait."

"Me either. And Jimmy and Jey better not think they gonna call a girl and be all sweet. Oh no, sir.. This kitchen is closed until they realize that just because they get pissed, doesn't mean their ladies gotta suffer."

"Hell yes. Clank clank."

"I wanna ride a horse." Eve said in an unsure voice as Kaitlyn and Mariah looked at her, then at each other and then back, asked incrediously, "You've never.."

"Nope."

"Wow.. You're getting on a horse.."

"maybe a pony?" Natalya suggested then said "Baby steps. Trust me. Mariah let me ride a horse, and yeah.. I wished I'd have taken the old mare that Taker saddled."

"Hey.. Diablo NEVER went that crazy with me."

"Hell yes, he did."

"Okay, so it was one time." Mariah said as the women set to loading their stuff into the back of the truck that Mariah bought earlier in the week. Stella clapped her hands happily as she said "Fank you all for coming with us."

"We wanted to, Volt."

"Definitely. Can't have mama turning you into a little tomboy, right?"

"Hey.. There is nothing wrong with being a tomboy." both Natalya, Mariah and eventually Kaitlyn said as they laughed and said again at the same time, "Jinks."

A whole weekend/week lie ahead, they all needed the rest.. But what were they going to get into during their downtime?

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?

The chapter above.. I got inspired while watching Miz Tv for tonight. And yeah, while I'm not eve's biggest fan, judging by what the line up is as of late? I'd take her back over this crap with AJ and the Bellas. I realize that it all probably would never go down this way, but what the hell, right? It's my imagination, lol. Blame my overactive imagination..

Roman's not up for a pairing in this one, btw, just in case I actually pick up writing my roman x oc story later. But yeah, That's about it.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope you guys are liking the story so far.


	8. Chapter 8

"Home Sweet Home, ladies." Mariah said as they pulled into the driveway of the guest house, the place on her father's ranch spread she was fixing for herself and Stella to live in, until they found something permanent and got settled, got back on their feet.

"Wow.. I never would have thought that Undertaker would live somewhere with so much.. Green."

"Yeah, I get that a lot.. We go all out for Halloween, Eve, you'd get a kick out of it." Mariah joked as she mimicked her father's trademark eye roll and then said "Nattie.. Looks like Diablo's waitin on ya."

"Oh go suck a donut."

"Hey.. He followed you around after that ride."

"Yeah, he was plotting my death, Ri."

"Was not."

"Was too. You ride him."

"Mama ride him all the time." Stella said as she giggled then said "She cusses too when he throw her on her butt."

"Do not, Volt."

"Do too, mama, darn it."

"He does not throw me."

"Obviously, he does." Eve giggled as Kaitlyn nodded in agreement and Cameron and Naomi's car came to a stop beside the truck they were all sitting together in.

"Wow.. There's living trees."

"And again, I get this a lot.."

"But it's Undertaker, I mean.. He's the most private man on the lineup.. Everyone sort of assumes he IS that kind of guy."

"He's not.. Sorry to spoil the illusion, girls." Mariah joked as she said "We were just discussing how my stud, Diablo has a slight crush on Ms. Nattie here."

"He's plotting my death, I'm telling you."

"Again, he's not."

"And you say this, yet he throws you."

"Because he doesn't like me."

Cameron and Naomi tried their best not to burst into laughter then spotted the garage and asked, "Who's car?"

"That's clunker 1.. She's sort of me and dad's project. We've never finished her.. "

"You work on those things, girl?"

"Hell yes. Not about to wait on a man to change my tire or fix my radiator hose on side of the road, hell to the no."

"Haha, yeah, why wait for a month for something to get done when you can do it yourself in about 10 minutes." Eve mused as Kaitlyn looked at her, brow raised.

Eve shrugged then said "Hey, I have to have some kind of hobby."

"And jijitsu isn't enough?"

"It is, but.. I've just sort of always liked messing with cars and stuff.. Daddy's girl, remember?"

"Oh.. I'm sorry, just still used to Eve of old, I suppose." Kaitlyn and Mariah both said quietly, as they all got out of the SUV, looking at the guest house. "Yeah.. I'm thinking it's a good thing we have a whole week." Mariah laughed as Eve said "Yep, definitely my thoughts." as Natalya nodded and smirking said "20 bucks says we open the door, some kind of critter runs out, Mariah here almost pees on herself to get away."

"You're on."

"Hey. I can't help it I'm freaking petrified of mice, bats and other furry animals."

"Seriously? You'll stand down the guys in Shield, chair in hand, refuse to move until Big Show MOVES you, but a mouse sends you running?"

Stella giggled as she nodded then said "This one time, bat got into Poppa's rv, and mama broke the door down gettin out. It was a baby!"

All eyes turned to Mariah who muttered something, bit her lip and shrugged as she turned it around on Natalya and said "Oh yeah? Well what about the freaking spider that made you bail off the paddleboat when your dad, my dad and our uncles took us camping that summer? You freaking left me, when I didn't know how to swim, in the middle of a lake!"

"I did not.. I got your godfather and your dad to come out and get you.. It's not my fault the spider had you frozen in fear."

Mariah groaned as she said simply, "I can't with you right now, Nattie."

"And I can't with you, either."

A squeal and running from the direction of the old screen door on the front of the guest house had them both looking, watching with cocked to the side heads as they watched not only Cameron and Naomi, but Eve and Stella scaling a tree in the yard while a raccoon sat on the steps, watching them all if they were insane.

"And too bad we made that bet about me, huh?"

"Definitely. Let's get inside.. See what we're up against, shall we?"

"Yeah. Remember we used to camp in here?"

"God yes.. If these walls could talk."

The girls walked inside finally, after coaxing Eve, Stella, Cameron and Naomi out of the tree. They looked around and promptly burst into laughter. "Yeah.. We definitely gotta do something with the interior, girl."

"Mhmm.. I've never seen so much wooden paneling and I'm from Colorado."

"Is that chair.. Is it moving?"

"Kaitlyn, it's a rocking chair. The window's open a little, daddy was airing it out for us all, the breeze is blowing."

"Oh, because for a minute there I was gonna add house excorcism to the list."

"Ooh, mama we gonna have a haunted house?" Stella asked as Mariah groaned and said "No baby.. Because if there's a ghost in here, pretty sure the girls and you screaming like banshees a few minutes ago scared it right outta here. Hell, I thought something happened to ya."

"I wasn't 'spectin it, mama. I was NOT scart."

"You totally were, Volt."

"Pooey on you."

They wandered around, looking around then decided to go out to get some stuff, get something to eat. All in all, it had the potential to be a very memorable 'girls only' week. Maybe they'd start doing this all the time.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker! I'm so happy, so many reviews already, and I've only really just started this one! I love you guys soooooo freakin much, you're all amazing! I'm so glad you like this, I was worried it'd be a little too out there or something, but..

That said, I need to ask you guys something.. Who do you see with Mariah/Stella? I'm not even sure who she'd go with, I only have basic bare things figured out about her personality, actually.. I do know she's kinda like a country/biker/tomboy type and she doesn't take anyone's crap.. So yeah, that's all I do know for now.

Suggestions, ladies?

Roman's not up for a pairing in this one, btw, just in case I actually pick up writing my roman x oc story later. But yeah, That's about it.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, I hope you guys are liking the story so far.


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